• Joel 2:12 (HCSB) 2 Even now— this is the LORD’s declaration— turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

For a transformation of the heart to materialize…

I. Turn to the Lord with all one’s heart.

• If one is going to have any hope of a successful transformation in life, one must turn to the Lord with all one’s heart.

• In the context of the passage, the nation of Israel had apparently turned away from the Lord and they were about to pay a serious price for doing so.

• We need to understand that when God’s judgment is involved it is not simply about punishing the bad people; it is about waking them up to the need to change.

• Any parent who looks at discipline as simply punishment may win the battle but they will eventually lose the war.

• When we do anything half-heartedly, what is the usual result? We do what we do with no passion, and when we do something with half of a heart, in truth we are doing it with no heart.

• We see this all the time in the workplace, in the home with marriages as well as with parenting.

• If you have ever done anything half-heartedly, you know what I am speaking of.

• When one does not give it there all what they are doing sucks the life out of them.

• Half of an effort in truth is NO EFFORT.

• I have seen way too many people live their faith out in this manner, I had hit some spots where I allowed that to happen to me early in my walk.

• God takes what is happening with the people personal. Notice through the prophet Joel, the Lord says TURN TO ME! God desires a right relationship with His people. Later this is the reason He will send Jesus to die for our sins!

• Here is the issue we all deal with at one time or another in life. WE THINK we are heading in the right direction when in truth; we need to honestly TURN back toward God.

• The word translated RETURN in the Hebrew means to TURN BACK, or to repent.

• The implication is that one will turn their backs on the old direction they were traveling to head into the new direction.

• For one to be able to repent they must have a change of will. Repentance is not about being sorry you got caught or sorry that things went wrong, but rather it involves a change of the will.

• The change of will encourages us to focus on the right path, the change of will gives ones the strength to carry on in the midst of difficult temptations.

• Joel wanted to punctuate the point he is making by sharing with the people their need for public actions that reflect their inward change of heart.